Ministers to release Nkandla report

South Africa

Thursday 19 December 2013 - 1:01am

The report was expected to be released earlier in December but was postponed; Cabinet then ordered its release.
Photo: eNCA

JOHANNESBURG - Ministers of the justice, crime prevention and security cluster will release, on Thursday, a task team report on the security upgrades at President Jacob Zuma's private residence in Nkandla.

The decision was announced after an attack by the African National Congress on Public Protector Thuli Madonsela about the timing of her own report on the R206 million upgrade at Zuma's private homestead.

"[We have] endorsed the recommendations and directed that the report be released to the public," Cabinet said at the time.

Earlier this year, Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi classified the report, saying it would put Zuma's safety at risk if released.

A few weeks ago, the Mail&Guardian reported that Madonsela had found in her preliminary report that Zuma had misled Parliament, and had benefited substantially from about R20 million worth of work that had nothing to do with security features, including a swimming pool.

Madonsela condemned the leak.

On October 8, The Western Cape High Court ruled that a Democratic Alliance bid for the release of the report was urgent.

DA parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko approached the court on September 30 to obtain an order compelling the public works department to provide her with a copy of the task team's report.